Background

Wikipedia article: Oscar Pistorius

Recent developments

Oscar Pistorious stated that the killing was an accident. [1] His court appearance was postponed from June 4 to August 19, 2013 to allow the prosecutors more time for investigation. [4] The court verdict of the murder trial is entirely up in the air: Prosecutors charge him with premeditated murder and say he killed her intentionally, whereas Pistorius denies murder and says he believed to be reacting in lawful self-defence. [6]

In a short hearing on 19 August 2013, Pistoris was indicted for premedidated murder. The trial is to start on the 3rd of March next year and expected to last until 20th of March 8 [7].

Analysis

• Evidence -- In the indictment statement after a 6-month investigation, prosecution stated that the most telling evidence stems from cellphone records and projectile trajectories and plans to present 100 witnesses at the trial [7].

• Media behaviour -- In an Afrikaans newspaper, Jacques Steenkamp reporter wrote that Oskar Pistoius was seen "with a beautiful woman" buying an Audi R8 sports car. [8] Readers may have been misled by the report; the press ombudsman subsequently established the woman was in fact Pistorious' cousin. [9]

Possible verdicts

As of 8 August 2014, the following verdicts are possible [10]:

• Guilty of premeditated murder (minimum term 25 years)
• Guilty of murder (up to life)
• Guilty of manslaughter/culpable homicide (maximum term 15 years)
• Guilty of other charges -- for discharging firearms in public (maximum 5 years) and/or for illegal possession of ammunition (maimum 15 years)
• Acquitted

The verdict

In the first partial verdict of 11 September 2014, Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled that the prosecution had not presented sufficient evidence to prove murder or premedidated murder beyond reasonable doubt. [11]

External links

1. Oscar Pistorius murder charge: key points of athlete's statement - The Telegraph, 21 February 2013
2. Oscar Pistorius murder charge: What the law has in store - News.com, 21 February 2013
3. Police took photos of Oscar Pistorius on their phones - USA Today, April 16, 2013
4. Reuters, June 4, 2013
5. 'He shot her - that's it': Detective who first led murder case says why he is convinced Blade Runner is guilty - DailyMail, May 1, 2013
6. Oscar Pistorius to return to public spotlight - The Associated Press, June 3, 2013
7. Oscar Pistorius Indicted For Murder - Huffington Post, August 19, 2013
8. Oscar takes ‘beautiful’ young woman to see his racy R1.5m Audi R8 - City Press, 30 June 2013
9. Papers ordered to apologise to Pistorius - news24, 24 August 2013
10. Oscar Pistorius: the verdicts the trial judge can reach - The Telegraph, 8 August 2014
11. Oscar not guilty of murder, says judge - IOL News, 11 September 2014